GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - Concerted efforts by police in the Eden Cluster in the Garden Route District and the strategic deployment of integrated forces on the ground ensured that 487 suspects were arrested between Wednesday evening, 7 July and Sunday morning, 11 July.
Of these, 383 were arrested for reported crimes committed during the mentioned period.
These arrests represent various criminal offences, ranging from petty crime to contravention of Covid-19 regulations and other serious crime. Twenty were wanted suspects for serious crimes.
The weekend’s operations included high visibility patrols in crime-stricken areas, stop and search operations with a special focus on drug and liquor outlets, illegal firearms, the tracing of wanted suspects and the confiscation of dangerous weapons. Most of the arrested suspects will make their court appearance in the local magistrate’s court today, Monday 12 July, while others either received an admission of guilt fine or a warning to appear in court on a later date.
Meanwhile, integrated forces pounced on eight illegal drug outlets in their respective areas over the weekend and confiscated a considerable amount of dagga, Mandrax and liquor, and arrested several suspects. All these illegal outlets were closed.
In addition to these illegal outlets, two legal liquor outlets, in Oudtshoorn and Thembalethu respectively, were closed and heavily fined for contravening the Disaster Management Act by selling liquor, which is prohibited under the current level 4 lockdown regulations.
Eden Acting Cluster Commander, Brigadier Phumzile Cetyana, commended all members for bringing these perpetrators to book. He emphasised these interventions indeed prevent the commission of other serious crimes such as murders, robberies, serious assaults, domestic violence and gender-based violent crimes from happening. He also appeals to the community to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols to prevent the transmission of the virus and to also adhere to the curfew that applies from 21:00 to 04:00.
Western Cape management has lauded the members for their efforts that contributed to a safer weekend in the various policing precincts.
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